October 2001 Armchair General's Revue Our esteemed President

All of us were profoundly affected by this last month's events in New York and around the world. While we all belong to a wargaming club, it is our most fervent hope that wars stay where they can do no harm, on our cardboard boards with plastic pieces. No one wins a real war. However, we are confident along with the rest of the world that while the way we travel may have changed, we will return to regular activities and not let the way we live our lives to change. The true strength of any democracy is not its military, or its economic power, but rather its people. Only the people, through their collective actions, can we truly stand up to terrorism.

From the President's Desk:

Thanks to everyone who attended the 5th Annual IAAPA Convention in New Orleans. It was a great pleasure to meet everyone, and to renew some old friendships. I think the highlight of the event was the touring of the National D-Day Museum. If you haven't seen it yet, let me say that it's outstanding. You could also have seen the continuation of what may possibly be my longest losing streak to date. I think I've lost nearly 8 in a row.

Some notable events in IAAPA are:

The successful testing of the New Die Roller. Some basic improvements were made such as e-mail address lookup, and retained info when you switch between combat modes. As time will permit, we will continue to improve various areas of the site.

The ITSL has really gone into overdrive, with 2 divisions nearing completion of the first season. A veritable Who's Who has assembled to test their metal. Don't forget to sign up for the 2nd season when it is announced.

The Hall of Heroes is now up on the site. This is where we will remember our fallen comrades. I hope that everyone will visit it, and remember those who have passed away, and the good times you have shared with them. Who knows, perhaps that little voice that urges you on, or warns you to be cautious in the next game may be your fallen comrades trying to get in on a game. Our first memorial is up for Tom.

We've got a new Local Chapter in the Fresno California area. If your interested in getting together with them for some face to face action, you can get details on the web site or in the article below. If you think you'd like to get together regularly in your area, contact recruiting for a list of members in your area. Setting up a local chapter, allows your games to count for the rankings, as well provides a regular gaming opportunity for everyone in your area.

I would like to present a brief message from the the Fresno Chapter:

Greetings to you Axis and Allies lovers and IAAPA members.

If you are located in California or close by you might be interested in this letter.

We are introducing the "Combat Zone Chapter" located in Fresno, California. If you are interested in playing Face to Face games this is the place.

If you are in driving distance to Fresno this might be for you. Games start on Saturdays at 1:00 but you must arrive about 12:00.

If you are interested, please get in touch with us through our e-mail, posted in the Chapters section of the web site. More information, location of games, etc., will be mailed back to you.

Comfy ChairThank you,
rwruck
The President of Combat Zone

Now for a few words from our hard working volunteer government members.


Senate Reports

REPORT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER - Michael (micwil) - webmaster@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

I am having trouble remembering the events of the last month or two, but will try to summarize all the changes.

First, we had our 2001 Fall Election, and were again unable to fill our Legislature. I had hoped to see some new blood in government with this election, and while a few new faces appeared, it was once again too few to fill all the offices. The end result...IAAPA continues, but it cannot offer as much as it could if there were more people involved. On the positive side, the current reduced Legislature has been far more active than any previous Legislature, which does bode well. Several new offices were created, however, I will let the Legislators discuss this.

Changes in the Senate include

Since we were unable to fill the Legislature in this election, I will leave it to the Legislature to act as its own proponent in the future. I have been a strong proponent of the importance of the Legislature and for the membership to have an active and real voice and power in the administration of the Association. However, after several ineffectual Legislative sessions, the value of the efforts I have put into maintaining and promoting the Legislature is questionable and I will divert that time onto other projects.

That's all I have to report in the last month.

Michael

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION - Gil (Tusk) - who@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Hello Fellow IAAPA Warriors,

I have continued in my role as the Ministerial representative in the Legislature, and am enjoying the activity and discussions that have transpired there. I also continue in my role coordinating government communication and routing the flow of information through the annals of government.

Tusk

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF INTERNET OPERATIONS - Michael (Micwil) - webmaster@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Not too much has been happening on the web site lately...here is a quick summary:

1) We are working on a really cool analytical tool for our members to analyze the games database... ever wondered how many games where UK bought an IC in South Africa resulted in a win for the Allies? Or what the breakdown of bids in the Association is? Stay tuned :)

2) With Nimda and other viruses circulating, there have been a couple delays reported in the delivery of dice results to members. This is exclusively due to the excessive traffic on the Internet generated by these viruses, and not to do with our server.

As always, I recommend that all our members use Netscape 4.78 to surf the web and read their e-mail as these programs are much more secure and stable than Microsoft Outlook or Internet Explorer.

Michael

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF LAW - John (JohnPin569) - law@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

From the Law Office...

Scales of Justice Greetings Fellow Warriors,

As you know the Annual Convention was in August in New Orleans. Although the turnout was a little low everyone had a great time. We managed a few outings, despite the weather being a bit rainy.

In an effort to boost attendance at future events, I will be sending out a questionnaire sometime during the next month or so. Please take a moment to fill it out and send it in.

For this months rule topic, let's talk about a somewhat overlooked aspect of error correction. Even though this item has only come up a few times in the past, it can be very upsetting to a player. It concerns the issue of an "actual" or "perceived" error and the actions taken correct it. First, let's define the terms. An actual error is a factual error. (i.e., There really was an error.) A perceived error is one in which one or both of the players believes an error was committed, but in reality no error committed. If you or your opponent dispute something, then agree on a corrective measure, then take the corrective action, the corrective action will stand, regardless of whether or not there was an actual error or not. If there is any doubt about a rules issue it is very important to consult with the Minister of Law for an official ruling or clarification prior to agreeing to a resolution. Keep in mind that we encourage the players to work out a solution to an error amongst themselves and then rely on the club rules if no agreement can be reached.

That's all for now.

Take care.

John

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF STATS AND LOGS - Eric (Raist) - logs@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net - stats@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Two of my positions (Minister of Logs and Chancellor of Stats), have been joined into one - Minister of Stats & Logs. With this joining, I have also received a greater access to be able to fix things. Please read the points below to find out the new changes.

1) All logs are current as of 09/18/01. If you have sent in a log prior to that date, resubmit it, as I do not have it. The logs may be more current, but that date is what I am going to guarantee for now. I managed to catch up a little, so now the delay for approval is down to two weeks or less.

2) For those looking for strategy on other players, and not finding logs. Two points:
a) If it says that there is supposed to be a game log, but isn't, you can e-mail me at logs@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net and I should be able to supply you with that log.
b) If you are looking for bidding patterns of an opponent, look to point a, or if the game number is 8361 or higher, e-mail myself, and I will supply it.

3) Please ensure that all turns are labeled properly in a log, and now for the stats parts....

4) I had several takers for the reviewing of the stats, and the problems were solved. If you ever need your stats checked, just drop me a line.

5) Just for everyone's interest, since last Revue there have been 188 gamestarts in IAAPA (9041 to date) - a very healthy level of play.

6) For ANY game where you need the stats changed i.e. entered the wrong winner, you want to declare the game a draw, etc, e-mail me at stats@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net, and I will change it for you.

Eric AKA Raist
Minister of Stats & Logs

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF MEMBERS - David (Starchild) - cutthroat@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings fellow members,

I am your new Minister of Members and as such will do my utmost to ensure the continued success of IAAPA and it's most valuable asset: The Members. As part of the Legislative body, it is my job to (as well as that of the entire Legislature) to make sure that the members have a say in how the association is run. Therefore, I make myself available to you and you may contact me anytime at cutthroat@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net I look forward to serving you in any and all aspects.

Thank you

David a.k.a. Starchild, Minister of Members and Cutthroat Overseer

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF RECRUITING - Alan (Spud) - recruiting@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings from the Recruiting Office.

Enlistment continues at a steady pace, as 9 of 33 potential recruits in August were man enough to stay on with the club. Welcome to Flying Fortress, Eloise, airship, Solar, AFC_Gunner, heil_harney, MACanator, GJS44 and Sunburn.

And so far in September, 6 of the 36 have the right stuff..there may be more yet as the other 30 test the club waters with their free trial month...welcome to Paladin, Dermench, Maverik, Asp, Jack-of-all-trades, and oakie.

Recruiting out......

Spud Minister of Recruiting

REPORT FROM THE MINISTER OF TOURNAMENTS - Warren (Reddwarf) - tourneys@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings all,

Thank you to all of the players who have signed up for the 2001 Fall Classic Stampede, all 64 available positions have been filled and rd1 pairings have been sent.

Another interclub rivalry looms on the horizon. This time its from DAAK, (Deutscher Axis and Allies Klub, translated this means German Axis and Allies Club). A tournament has just been organized between the IAAPA and DAAK and has been named 'Rivals on the Rhine'. I'm sure that this will be an enjoyable event for all participants.

On to matters regarding day to day tournament office operations, there has been a real improvement in the completion rate of rds in most of the current tournaments which is pleasing to see and a trend that I hope continues indefinitely. However I have noticed that recently quite a few pairings are forgetting to send me their game numbers when they begin their match leaving me to constantly chase up these numbers. Please try to remember to get those numbers in to me ASAP.

That wraps up the tourney office report for September.

Sayonara,

RedDwarf (IAAPA tourneys)


REPORT FROM THE CHANCELLOR OF ADJUDICATION - Peter (Boromir) - adjudication@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings:

Adjudication is a very useful tool in keeping tournaments moving forward. When players are acting in a sportsmanlike fashion, following the tournament rules, things tend to work out well for everyone.

We do, however, come across situations that require more thought, and occasional head shaking at the habits of some. I would like to remind everyone that adjudication takes into account only the board. Information about who was playing slow, making errors, being a jerk, or whatever else you can imagine is not relevant to the adjudication process. The panel sees only the board, IPC/weapons chart, and any "why I should win" comments the players make. Nothing else.

Thus I encourage players with issues about their opponents contact the Minister of Law or enact the forfeit process, as appropriate. We actively encourage players to use the rules of IAAPA to avoid having to put up with unfair play of others. Often, once this sort of thing gets to me, it is to late to do anything helpful. Happy gaming.

Pete (Boromir)
Chancellor of Adjudication

REPORT FROM THE CUTTHROAT OVERSEER - David (Starchild) - cutthroat@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Hello all members,

Cutthroat is an IAAPA sanctioned variant that is thrilling, exciting and is not held by the bonds of normal A&A. Each country is a separate entity and therefore there is NO alliances except the ones you yourself make. The game map has been adjusted to reflect the different approach to the game (and to ensure that no country is "isolated") If you wish to learn more click on the IAAPA variants link on the home page or contact me at cutthroat@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net -- ANY member is welcome and Cutthroat has it's own ranking system separate of your rank/rating in normal A&A play. I encourage anyone who is interested in something different to give it a try. Thank you and happy gaming.

David a.k.a. Starchild, Cutthroat Overseer

REPORT FROM THE CHANCELLOR OF MENTORSHIP - Eric (Raist) - mentors@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

The mentorship program is still going strong. Since last Revue, 11 new trial games have started (59 total), with 22 new recruits taking advantage of the game.

For anyone wishing to join up as a mentor, or as an opponent, feel free to contact me at mentors@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net.

Eric AKA Raist
Mentorship Coordinator

REPORT FROM THE CHANCELLOR OF TEAM PLAY - Brian (Sephorin) - league@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Just a short blurb from the SuperLeague guy: I'm having some trouble getting folks to turn in their game numbers. Please peruse the list below. If your team is there, please send me the game # for that round.

Round 7

Field Marshals VS Executive Assassins
Triple Entente VS Blitz Brothers

Round 8

Warrior Fathers VS Field Marshals
Executive Assassins VS Prairie Panzers

I'm running a little behind on the ITSL pages, but I'll have the next update ready within the next few days. Don't forget that the Round 9 start date is October 16th.

~Sephorin, Chancellor of Team Play

Legislative Reports


REPORT FROM THE IAAPA TV ANCHORMAN - Peter (Boromir) - squire@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings all:

The new legislature has been in place for almost a month, and we have made progress which will no doubt be summarized my our new Minister of Members. I have been selected to sit on the Judiciary, and we have successfully debated one item of business already this year.

IAAPA TV is watching a game closely, and should have the first broadcast available in October. Anyone is welcome to suggest a game to me, whether it is between two high powered players duking it out for a championship, or a game with some innovative tactics. The players need keep track of their thoughts as the game progresses (i.e. - what are they trying ot accomplish, what they think the other guy is doing). Also they need maintain all game turn AAMaps files, such that I may extract bits and pieces. Keeping a 5 turn lag between real game time, and TV Broadcast, I would then compile my own thoughts, and a selection of strategic maps, detailing some highlights of the action. Anyone interested in being a guinea pig?

I am glad the Legislature has remained a vital and fully functional arm of IAAPA government, and I believe we will serve you well.

Boromir
IAAPA TV Anchorperson

REPORT FROM THE STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER - Robert (Highcmmdr) - strategy@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings,

The first submission for Russia should be given to the webmaster by the time the revue is out. Since there has been no virtually no feedback to date I've taken the liberty to finalize the Russian section of our new strategy and tactics pages. Members should remember that this is and will probably always be a work in progress and there may be editing from time to time to keep things fresh. Advanced players should realize that the strategies and tactics are designed to help everyone but of course they should be a great resource for our junior members. Also the strategy and tactics pages should be a compilation of the best our club has to offer so if you have any strategies or tactics handy feel free to share them with the rest of the club's membership.

I've solicited feedback from the membership via the BBS and I'd like to thank those who have taken the time to contribute to specific strategy questions on the BBS and these players include the following:

Einstien, CEOHammer, GroeFaz, MstrStmpy, RedDwarf, Blackwatch, Boromir, Nemo, Steiner and via e-mail JBell and NobleKnt.

There are several other players who roam the board and though slow I feel it is a way for our community to develop their A&A skills so if you haven't posted on our BBS I invite you to share what you've learned to date in one way or another.

I am working on Germany next so if you have anything of interest to share please post them or send them to me via e-mail

Regards,

HighCmmdr
Strategy Development Officer

REPORT FROM THE HELP DESK COORDINATOR - John (Blackdog) - help@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings from the Help Desk.

Blackdog (John) here. Activity at the help desk has been slow since I assumed the position. I have only received two requests in this time. At least the low amount of activity is allowing me to feel my way around and learn more about the club. The legislature is a different story. We took off like a rocket! After a brief period, where we all got to know each other a little better, we got down to business. We all agree that the legislature will not suffer from lack of activity this time. That's all for now. Call if you need anything.

John

Help Desk Coordinator

REPORT FROM THE DRAFT OFFICER - Jochen (Jochen) - draft@REMOVETHISaxisandallies.net

Greetings fellow warriors!

This is Jochen, the new Draft Officer. This office was vacated for quite a long time and I hope I will able do a good job here. Since I got appointed I mailed several hundred persons all over web who seemed to be interested in Axis & Allies PBEM.

IAAPA is now represented at "The Warp", where the top A&A sites are listed. By clicking on the link at the bottom of the link section you can push our site on the top of the list, where everyone can see it. So keep clicking there every day!

A new project I work is a newsletter which presents the latest news from IAAPA to the A&A community in the web. It will be posted in various newsgroups and in public BBS' like Don Rae's and Trasher's BBS.

I am in contact with some other A&A sites and hope I can improve the promotion of IAAPA there. I have been instrumental in organizing the interclub tournament between IAAPA and the DAAK, a German PBEM Axis & Allies club.

This is everything from me. Keep on playing and "Sprung auf; marsch, marsch!!"

Draft Officer out.

Closing comments:

Most of us will have our memberships expiring January 1st. Please visit the site and renew your memberships in advance. This will prevent unnecessary effort on everyone's part, with inactivating and then reactivating you. For those who's memberships expire in July 2002, there's no need to rush out and renew. Memberships will remain at $12/year again, as the dues have been sufficient to meet all of IAAPA's needs.

IAAPA needs donations of time and energy, from anyone willing to help, even if it's for a limited time. Show your IAAPA colors by wearing a T-Shirt from our Supply Depot. We have in stock 3rd annual, and 4th annual convention shirts, and the long awaited IAAPA Logo shirts are expected by next month. A T-Shirt and annual membership make for a great gift, so why not get some of your old playing buddies on board, or get the spouse or parents to hook you up this Holiday Season. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th Anual Convention T's are available, but I'm waiting to find out how many to order. Please go to the site to order, and I'll get the orders in and out to you.

Until next time, may the Dice be cooperative, and the Opponents be challenging.

ToddVomit
President of IAAPA